Connection
by basket-of-posies
Summary: It's always been him. CalebTyler slash.
1. Chapter 1

_"My arm!" A fourteen-year old Caleb cried out. He was laying on the floor in a heap, his bike next to him with the wheel still spinning. _

_"C'mon, Reid, we'll go get help, Tyler, stay with Cay," Pogue commanded and led the way back down the dirt trail they had been following._

_Caleb looked up with tear-filled eyes to see Tyler, worried and scared, but trying to offer comfort as best as he could._

_*_

_After a heated argument with his mother, Caleb found himself slamming the door and angrily storming away. His walking led him to the closest to his, Tyler's. He pulled out his cellphone and found Baby Boy in his contacts._

_"Ty? ...I, uh, well, are you doing anything? Good, because, I'm at your front door."_

_He rang the doorbell, and within a second, he was greeted by Tyler's confused face. _

_"Mind if I hang around?"_

_"Uh, no, not at all... come in."_

_*_

_With a groan, Caleb blinked his eyes open; they stung; his head hurt; his body felt heavy. The first thing that came into focus was Tyler's face, and then the rest of his environment set in: the rest of the people staring down at him, his coach shouting, water splashing. _

_*_

_Caleb saw Sarah floating there, unconscious, and he knew he should be fearing for her life, but he couldn't help think about what her being there meant for Tyler... and Reid._

_Did Chase take them, too? Was Tyler okay? Were they locked up somewhere here, too?_

_After the fight, as he watched the fire burn, the only thing that kept him from running into the blaze was the comforting hum of Tyler's power strumming through his mind._

*

Caleb found himself strolling through his memories as he watched Tyler work on his homework.

"Caleb? What did you get for number 2?" Tyler asked, half distracted as he tried to figure out the calculus problem in front of him. "I think I got the right answer, but it looks too big... are we supposed to use units? Wait, I think I found volume instead... Caleb?"

Tyler looked and found Caleb's steady gaze on him and furrowed his eyebrows. "It's a stupid mistake, I know! Stop looking at me like that."

"I, uh... sorry," Caleb chuckled, "Just... thinking, and I've come to a conclusion."

"Conclusions are for English, Caleb, this is math, and unless you tell me if I've done this right, I'm going to fail tomorrow's test."

"Okay, okay," Caleb sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips, and grabbed Tyler's homework to check over it.

An epiphany had hit him, but it seemed like he was going to have to work to have the same epiphany hit Tyler.


	2. Chapter 2

It was nearly dinnertime when Tyler and Caleb started cleaning up the various textbooks and papers they had strewn across the table during their study session.

"Wanna grab something to eat?" Caleb asked; his heart beating slightly quicker than normal for no reason--the four of them always went out to eat, whether it be in groups or pairs.

"Why, Caleb, are you asking me out on a date?" Tyler batted his eyelashes in an exaggerated manner.

"NO," Caleb denied too quickly and too loudly, and he guessed he must have one hell of a face because Tyler starting laughing full heartedly. "I mean, uh, just dinner."

What happened to the cool, suave leader he had been just ten minutes ago?

Tyler rolled his eyes and stuffed his school stuff into his backpack. "Relax, Cay, Reid hasn't tainted me enough to start putting moves on every breathing thing."

"Right," Caleb chuckled and licked his lips, "I was just... yeah, let's just go."

"My car or yours?" Tyler's voice had a hint of laughter in it; the youngest was obviously finding Caleb's new-found self-consciousness amusing... and he had definitely been around Reid enough to know that he should exploit it. "Mine has more room for, you know..."

Caleb rolled his eyes--he caught that one. "Reid's a bad influence," he commented as he grabbed his car keys, "and it'll be easier if we take my car."

"Easier for you to have the upper hand and take advantage of me."

"Tyler," Caleb rolled his eyes, but he felt a tinge of pink finding its way to his cheeks, "your mouth is going to get you in trouble. These days, I'm not sure who's worse: you or Reid."

Tyler grinned and pushed Caleb towards the front door.

"Pushy, too? Ty, I think we're gunna have condition you back into a good boy," Caleb teased; he could do this; this was easy, being playful, teasing, joking. But if Tyler was going to keep making suggestions about other things, Caleb wasn't going to call his bluff and just go for it.

"Will this conditioning involve leather?"

"Tyler!"

A laugh is all Caleb got in response. He knew that Tyler had been coming out of his shell more, thanks to Reid, and a couple of girls who had taken notice in him, but it seemed like he took a great big leap rather than a small step in gaining confidence.

Right before they realized how cold it was outside, they reached Caleb's car and got in. The Mustang warmed up quickly after Caleb started it, and the two rode in comfortable silence for a bit before Caleb realized something.

"Uhh... where am I driving us to exactly?"

"I thought you knew all along and were gunna surprise me," Tyler chuckled, "wherever is fine to me."

"Well, do you wanna stop at Nicky's or go to Longhorn? Or there's always Burger King or something... or Applebee's. Lots of choices, Ty."

Tyler shrugged, "You know me. I don't really care."

Caleb actually didn't know; would Tyler think something of it if they went somewhere too fancy? If they went somewhere too casual, though, Caleb really wouldn't be able to do something without the risk of someone else seeing his potential failure... or success. What was he supposed to do... and why hadn't he ever thought of these stupid factors before?

"Caleb?"

Tyler's voice snapped Caleb out of his musings, and he turned his head to look at Tyler with wide eyes. "Yeah?"

"What's with you? You're acting weird today. It's not me, is it? I mean, I know Reid's told me I've changed, with, you know, talking more and joking and stuff... but I didn't get you mad, did I? I'm sorry if I did... I mean, I didn't mean to, but I thought you knew I was just joking... I'll stop if you want... yeah."

The ranting-unsure-questioning Tyler was something Caleb knew how to deal with, so he grinned and shook his head. "It's nothing, Ty, and it's definitely not you... I like you--" Caleb froze; oh Lord, he just said that... did Tyler take it that way? Did he just accidentally spill his guts and now everything was going to be awkward? Why did he have to have his little epiphany this particular night where he was going to be with Tyler for a good hour, probably more?

"Caleb!" Tyler's voice once again shook him out of his thoughts. "You look like a deer in headlights, and you're sort of pale... are you okay? Maybe you should go home..."

"No! I mean, no, uh, no, I'm fine. I'm just over-thinking... everything," Caleb explained and gave Tyler a bright smile. "But, yeah, food... how about take-out, and we go back to my place for dinner and a movie?"

Tyler shook his head in disbelief, but let it go. "Sounds like a date. That was a joke."

"I know, Tyler," Caleb rolled his eyes but couldn't help the small smile that came with the idea that this could possibly be a date.


	3. Chapter 3

Within an hour, Caleb and Tyler found themselves in Caleb's living room with Chinese take out on the table and The Hangover playing on the big screen TV. They were sitting on the couch, Caleb on the far left and Tyler, the far right. The younger Son was sprawled comfortably, with one leg bent on the couch, the other hanging off. He was slouched enough to use his chest as a table for his take-out box of lo mein, a convenient position had he been better with chopsticks.

"My mom's not gunna like the random noodles she finds on the couch, Ty," Caleb teased. He was sitting upright, but relaxed, and had his feet resting on the coffee table.

"She's not going to like the scuff marks on the coffee table, either, Cay," Tyler shot back with a smirk. His attention was divided between the movie, the chopsticks, and getting the food into his mouth, so he decided enough was enough. "Forget this, I want a fork."

Caleb rolled his eyes and turned his body so that he could his legs to pin Tyler down. "You'll never learn unless you keep trying," he chastised and easily picked up some of his own noodles.

Tyler sighed and didn't even try to fight the comfortable weight of Caleb's legs. "I'll just use my fingers instead, then."

"You won't," Caleb chuckled, "I know you."

Tyler glared at Caleb; damn him for knowing him so well.

***

By the end of the movie, Caleb had dozed off. He was awoken by something poking his leg, so he opened his eyes and found Tyler prodding him with a fork, a smug smile on his lips.

"I have a fork," Tyler announced proudly.

Caleb's sleep-hazed mind seemed to find that line especially funny because he started laughing whole-heartedly and loudly. "God, you're adorable, Ty."

"What?" Tyler bursted out with a laugh. "You're so weird today, Caleb."

"Not weird," Caleb shook his head; his laughter had calmed down to a chuckle now. "Just... enlightened."

"You've been saying stuff like that all night, what the hell are you talking about?" Tyler inquired and nudged Caleb's legs off the couch so that he could have more room.

Caleb took a deep breath and sat up straight, leaving him and Tyler with just inches between them. He had calmed down with his laughter, but his eyes were still filled with mirth. For once, he felt just plain _good_. He turned towards the younger man and folded one leg in front of him, mirroring how Tyler sat, all the while thinking of the right words to explain this enlightenment.

"Cay?" Tyler's soft voice brought up a little bit of confidence in Caleb, as did the heat of Tyler's hand on his knee. "You've got that zoned out look again. It's not really a pretty look on you."

The comment made Caleb grin and shake his head. "It's you, Tyler, it's always been you."

"...me? What did I do? I mean, Reid probably did it and I was there, but that doesn't mean I did it!"

"No... nothing like that," Caleb rolled his eyes. He sighed at his inability to portray his epiphany and put his hand on top of the one Tyler had on his knee. Tyler's eyebrow rose in a curious manner at the contact, but he let it remain.

"I'm still not too good at this, Caleb, so I'm just gunna ask you straight-out: are you flirting with me?"

The small smile that was present on Caleb's face fanned out into a full grin at the question. "And now it's awkward."

"That's a yes! Are you serious, Caleb?"

"You really don't have the finesse for flirting, do you, Ty?"

"Stop avoiding my questions. Don't mess with me like this."

"Why would I mess with you?"

"Caleb," Tyler sighed his name out in a defeated tone.

Caleb smirked slightly and leaned forward to kiss Tyler's cheek, a nice simple start, he believed. "I'm serious," he murmured near Tyler's ear before pulling away. Caleb wasn't sure whose heartbeat he was hearing: his or Tyler's, but it was loud and fast. He knew blood had rushed to his face in the form of a blush that mirrored the red forming on Tyler's cheeks.

"I... uh... well, uh," Tyler stuttered out and kept fighting and losing to the smile tugging at his mouth. "So, uh.."

Caleb offered him a comforting smile and a gentle squeeze of his hand. "Just think about it," he told him and got up, putting the heated environment they had created on pause. "It's getting late, wanna spend the night?"

Tyler nodded distractedly; his mind seemed to have decided to take a journey on its own.

"Okay," Caleb chuckled and looked around to find the remote to turn the TV off. The sound of a cell phone broke the short silence that sat in the room and caused Tyler to jump.

"Hello? ...Reid, oh... no, uh, nothing's up... I'm at Caleb's... Why would you think I'm drunk? ...I _sound _funny? ...No, we weren't getting high! ...I'm spending the night here... See you tomorrow."

"He knows; I know it, he knows."


	4. Chapter 4

Caleb's eyes blinked open tiredly, and his mind registered the blaring red numbers displayed on his alarm clock. 2:54 AM--what was he doing up at 2:54 in the morning?

"Caleb?" Tyler's soft voice broke the silence of his bedroom, and Caleb let out a sleepy sigh. He turned over in bed to look at the figure to the side of him. "I thought about it."

"It?" Caleb's sleep-hazed mind took a minute to register what 'it' was, and when he did, he pushed himself up to rest on his arm. His mind was alert, though his body was opposing it. "Okay, talk to me, Ty," he murmured and took hold of Tyler's hand to pull him down onto the bed.

Tyler seated himself indian-style next to Caleb and fiddled with the comforter before spitting out, "I lied."

Caleb stared at Tyler for a second before shaking his head in sleepy confusion. "About what?"

"Well, I thought about it, but I still don't know."

This was too much thinking for this time of the night, Caleb decided, so he was going to settle this now, allowing them both get a couple more hours of sleep in. His game plan? "Tyler, I'm going to kiss you," Caleb stated simply.

"Well, now who's making it awkward, Caleb?" Tyler retorted, his voice confident, but everything else screaming anxiety: his heart-rate had sped up, his eyes had widened, and had someone raised the heat?

"It's only awkward if you make it awkward," Caleb murmured in reply, "so come here, and stop making it awkward," he teased. He sat up more and slipped his hand around the back of Tyler's neck, his fingers threading into the hair at the nape of his neck.

Tyler tried to stutter out _something_ as the space between him and Caleb became less and less, but by the time his mouth let out a coherent sound, Caleb's lips were there to silence it.

It was weird, Caleb would admit, but it wasn't bad. Oh, it wasn't bad at all; it was actually pretty damn... _amazing_. Tyler's lips weren't covered in some scented lip gloss or moisturized to a point of unnatural softness; they were perfect--soft and smooth and all Tyler. Caleb realized he might have just discovered his addiction when Tyler pulled the slightest bit away, and all Caleb wanted to do was climb on top of him and kiss the night away.

"Cay.. I, uh--"

"You're thinking, worried, confused, scared?"

Caleb's way of knowing exactly what Tyler was going through pulled a smile out of the younger boy. "Yeah," Tyler sighed out with a hint of laughter in his voice. Caleb smiled in return, and they sat there in the dark silence for a minute before breaking into fits of laughter.

"That was _so _cheesy," Tyler gasped out between his laughs, "What is this, a movie?"

"Shut up," Caleb chuckled out and pulled Tyler down with him when his laughter became too unbearable for sitting, "don't ever tell Reid. Or Pogue. Or anyone."

Tyler pushed himself up on to his forearms and looked down at Caleb with a smirk and a raised eyebrow, "What happens if I do?"

"Don't even get me started, baby boy," Caleb threatened, a glint in his eye and a smile on his lips, "You know I'll make you pay."

"As if I was going to tell them anyway. They'd never let either of us live it down," Tyler muttered with a roll of his eyes, "And you wouldn't do anything to me even if I did; I know you."

"Well come get to know me a little more," Caleb said with waggling eyebrows as he pulled Tyler down. The younger boy let out a laugh, but it was cut off by Caleb's lips on his.

This time, their meeting lips didn't separate as quickly, and when they did, it was followed by further kissing and no awkwardness. Caleb figured that Tyler had definitely thought up his decision now, and he was liking the answer.


End file.
